Vehicle headlamp

Abstract

A first additional reflector 34 is provided between a light source bulb 22 and a shade 32 and used for reflecting light from a light source 22a to an area in front in the direction of inserting the bulb on the reflective surface 24a of a reflector 24. Further, the area in front in the direction of inserting the bulb on the reflective surface 24a of the reflector 24 is formed as a second additional reflector 36 for reflecting the light reflected from the first additional reflector 34 forward and closer to an optical axis Ax. Thus, direct light from the light source 22a which is to be shielded by the shade 32 is caused to be incident on a projection lens 28 by using the first and second additional reflectors 34 and 36, whereby the direct light can effectively be utilized as forward irradiation light.

Description

[0001] The present application claims foreign priority based on Japanese Patent Application Nos. P.2003-331904, filed Sep. 24, 2003, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to a so-called projector type vehicle headlamp, and more particularly, the invention relates to a vehicle headlamp so configured as to form a low-beam luminous distribution pattern. [0003] A projector type vehicle headlamp is normally equipped with a projection lens arranged on an optical axis extending in the longitudinal direction of a vehicle and a light source disposed behind the rear-side focal point, so that light from the light source is reflected by a reflector toward the optical axis. [0004] In JP-U-02-047704, a so-called side-inserted type lighting device is described with reference to a projector type vehicle headlamp of the sort mentioned above, the lighting device being configured such that a light source bulb is fix...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016] As indicated by the formation above, the vehicle headlamp according to the invention is formed as a projector type vehicle headlamp having the shade. However, it is feasible to make the vehicle headlamp compact by decreasing the longitudinal length of the lighting device since the light source bulb is inserted into the reflector from the lateral side of the optical axis extended in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

[0017] Further, the vehicle headlamp according to the invention is provided with the first additional reflector between the light source bulb and the shade, which reflector is used for reflecting light from the light source toward the area in front in the direction of inserting the bulb on the reflective surface of the reflector. Moreover, the area in front in the direction of inserting the bulb on the reflective surface of the reflector is formed as the second additional reflector for reflecting the light reflected from the first additional reflector forward and closer to the optical axis and direct light from the light source which is to be shielded by the shade is caused to be incident on the projection lens by using the first and second additional reflectors, whereby the direct light can effectively be utilized as forward irradiation light.

[0018] In the vehicle headlamp according to the invention, a bundle of rays having the greatest luminous intensity in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the bulb can be utilized by the first and second additional reflectors since the light source is formed as the line light source extending in the axial direction of the bulb. Although direct light incident on the area in front in the direction of inserting the bulb from the light source is made unutilizable by forming the area in front in the direction of inserting the bulb on the reflective surface of the reflector as the second additional reflector, the bundle of utilizable rays as a whole can be increased drastically because the direct light is a bundle of rays having the lowest luminous intensity directed to the axis of the bulb. It is thus possible to secure sufficient brightness of the low-beam luminous distribution pattern formed by the irradiation light from the vehicle headlamp.

[0019] In addition, since the first additional reflector is provided between the light source bulb and the shade, the light reflected from the reflector is prevented from being shielded excessively by providing the first additional reflector.

[0021] With the arrangement above, as long as the light source bulb is fixedly inserted into the reflector from the lateral side of the optical axis, the position where the light source bulb is fixedly inserted is not specifically restricted. However, the following working-effect is achievable provided that the light source bulb is fixedly inserted into the reflector in a lower position separated from the optical axis.

[0023] With the arrangement above, the configuration of the reflective surface of the first additional reflector is set to a ellipsoidal shape so that the position of the light source is made a first focal point and that a predetermined position between the first additional reflector and the second additional reflector is made a second focal point, whereby the configuration of the reflective surface of the second additional reflector can be set on the assumption that an imaginary light source exists at the second focal point and the control of light distribution can be facilitated accordingly.

Problems solved by technology

However, as described in JP-U-02-047704, since many light source bulbs are formed to have line light sources extended in the axial direction of the bulbs, the following problems develop when the side-inserted type lighting device is employed.

Consequently, when the side-inserted type lighting device is employed, the problem is that as the quantity of light incident on an area in the forward direction in which the bulb is inserted on the reflective surface of the reflector becomes extremely small, it is difficult to secure sufficient brightness of the luminous distribution pattern formed by the light irradiated from the vehicle headlamp.

When the low-beam luminous distribution pattern is formed in particular, another problem is that as a predetermined cutoff line is formed by shading part of the light reflected from the reflector with a shade disposed in the vicinity of the rear-side focal point of a projection lens, formation of a bright luminous distribution pattern tends to become more difficult.

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